600 CO-OP DIVIDEND HELPS COMMUNITY GARDEN GROW

THE CO-OPERATIVE GROUP is helping a community garden grow with a £600 donation from its Community Dividend fund. 

The Molyneux Drive Allotment Association will use the award to buy trees, shrubs and plants to help turn a disused piece of land in Prescot into a valuable community resource. 

"The community garden will provide a vital local educational resource where children and community members can become involved in environmental activities and gain an understanding of horticulture and ecology," said the Association's secretary Philip Williams. 

The Community Dividend fund is part of the Co-operative Group's Dividend customer loyalty card scheme which allows shoppers to donate the extra pence in their twice-yearly Dividend payouts to worthy causes*. 

Approximately £100,000 is available annually to support charities and community groups in the region with local Co-op members' committees allocating the awards throughout the year based on a set of values and principles such as social responsibility and caring for others. 

Application forms are available in Co-operative Group stores throughout the region.

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£176 million Lottery boost to community sport in the North West

SPORT England, the strategic lead for sport in England, today announced that it has invested a landmark £2 billion of good causes Lottery funding into sport since 1996. This includes some £176 million in more than 500 community projects in the North West. 

In conjunction with other public and private funding streams, including over £300m Exchequer funding, this investment has made a huge contribution to improving and enhancing sports provision in local communities across the country:- from football and rugby; swimming pools and sports halls to climbing walls and skate parks. 

In the North West this funding has enabled developments such as the facilities upgrade at Hambleton Village Sports Complex in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire and has funded larger projects such as the Bolton Lads' and Girls' Club, enhancing many local youngsters' lives.

Tessa Jowell MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport commented:- "This £2 billion investment from the Lottery in sport has changed the face of Britain forever. It has helped build new state-of-the-art sports facilities for communities across the country to enjoy. It has helped win Olympic gold and given thousands a place to have a kick around.”

The North West also benefited from the £165m Sport England Lottery investment in the Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002 and its legacy to the North West's sporting landscape, including Eastlands Stadium and the Manchester Aquatics Centre. 
More than 20,000 projects have benefited from around £73m provided through the Awards for All Programme, including more than 3500 in the North Wes.